| 1 | 1 | | By: Shapiro, West S.B. No. 987 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the age at which transition planning begins for a public |
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| 7 | 7 | | school student receiving special education services. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 29.011, Education Code, is amended to |
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| 10 | 10 | | read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 29.011. TRANSITION PLANNING. The commissioner shall |
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| 12 | 12 | | by rule adopt procedures for compliance with federal requirements |
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| 13 | 13 | | relating to transition services for students who are enrolled in |
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| 14 | 14 | | special education programs under this subchapter. The procedures |
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| 15 | 15 | | must: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) provide that transition planning begins for a |
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| 17 | 17 | | student not later than when the student reaches 14 years of age; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) specify the manner in which a student's admission, |
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| 19 | 19 | | review, and dismissal committee must consider, and if appropriate, |
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| 20 | 20 | | address the following issues in the student's individualized |
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| 21 | 21 | | education program: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) [(1)] appropriate student involvement in the |
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| 23 | 23 | | student's transition to life outside the public school system; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (B) [(2)] if the student is younger than 18 years |
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| 25 | 25 | | of age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's |
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| 26 | 26 | | transition; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (C) [(3)] if the student is at least 18 years of |
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| 28 | 28 | | age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's transition, |
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| 29 | 29 | | if the parent is invited to participate by the student or the school |
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| 30 | 30 | | district in which the student is enrolled; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (D) [(4)] any postsecondary education options; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (E) [(5)] a functional vocational evaluation; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (F) [(6)] employment goals and objectives; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (G) [(7)] if the student is at least 18 years of |
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| 35 | 35 | | age, the availability of age-appropriate instructional |
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| 36 | 36 | | environments; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (H) [(8)] independent living goals and |
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| 38 | 38 | | objectives; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (I) [(9)] appropriate circumstances for |
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| 40 | 40 | | referring a student or the student's parents to a governmental |
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| 41 | 41 | | agency for services. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 |
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| 43 | 43 | | school year. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 45 | 45 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 46 | 46 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 47 | 47 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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